The mission of the UMES MBRS RISE Program is to provide meaningful development opportunities for students and faculty as a means of enhancing the skills and competitiveness of underrepresented minority students and faculty in pursuing careers and conducting cutting edge biomedical research, respectively. To achieve this mission, the following specific goals and objectives are proposed. Goal I: Provide professional development opportunities to students in the biomedical sciences in the Department of Natural Sciences;Objective i: Increase the number of MBRS RISE students who matriculate into doctoral programs in the biomedical sciences over the requested funding period from 6 to 10;Objective ii: Enhance the academic preparation of DNS students in the biomedical sciences through the introduction of 3 new courses. Goal II: Provide meaningful professional development opportunities to faculty in the Department of Natural Sciences at UMES;Objective i: Increase the number of active collaborations between UMES faculty and faculty at major research institutions from 6 to 10;Objective ii: Increase scholarly productivity of members of DNS faculty from 8-10 presentations delivered at scientific conferences;and refereed publications from 12-20 each year of the Program period;Objective iii: Increase the rate of DNS minority faculty participation in continuing education courses from 3 to 6 each year of the proposed project period. Goal III: Enhance the instructional infrastructure in biomedical sciences in the Department of Natural Sciences at UMES. Objective i: Redesign of gate keeping courses using CHEM 111, Principles of Chemistry I to increase pass rate (students earning at least a grade of C or better) from 55.1% to 70%;Objective ii: Enhance the instructional infrastructure in biomedical sciences in the Department of Natural Sciences at UMES. This program will emphasize faculty development through collaborations with research-intensive institutions. The retention of student interest in biomedical sciences, through the involvement in extramural research will be a major focus of the project. At the end of the project period, 10 students will have matriculated into doctoral degree programs nationwide. Public health relevance: In line with Healthy People 2010, which seeks to reduce health related threats to Americans by improving the quality of life and eliminating health disparities, the UMES MBRS RISE program has as its mission to enhance the skills and competitiveness of underrepresented minority students and faculty in biomedical research. These individuals not only have the appropriate level of skill, but also the cultural sensitivity to effectively address the underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to the disproportionate burden of disease in various populations in the US.